Underneath the makeup there's a 'resting' actor…

But is it art? Click for bigger.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Clown

The Headmaster
Posted on: 15 May 2006, 11:16am

A clown is scarey (well I think so, and I'm not alone) but is not politically incorrect unless it might be confused with the branding of a fast food chain, feeding fat to the masses.

Of course I'm inviting the full weight of McLawyers on my frail frame, even a 'parody' get-out clause might not rescue me from penury.

The Headmaster
Posted on: 15 May 2006, 9:27pm

Now, it isn't actually Ronald McDonald I've illustrated, oh no, but his copyrighted image is so pervasive that it is difficult to imagine a clown without him coming to mind, looking like Bette Davis in a yellow romper suit. Ronald McDonald is a magical and funny clown and every child’s best friend (it says here) and I'm sure his lawyers wouldn't want to persecute a poor orphan (me) now would they? Even if I do prefer Burger King.

One of his responsibilities is to support McDonald’s charity initiatives – something that he carries out very sincerely – and deliver the brand’s message of commitment to the community. So don’t be too surprised if you see Ronald McDonald visiting someone in the children’s ward of a hospital or hosting a birthday party at McDonald’s for one of his special friends (it says here again).

Despite this, the concept that each chance a child catches sight of a clown it conjures the compulsion to consume a cholesterol and carbohydrate calorie charge clearly casts this character in the condemned category.

See also constipation, colorectal cancer, cardiovascular disease, coronaries... oh, and our circus animal collection!

The Headmaster
Posted on: 15 May 2006, 10:22am

I was floating through Amsterdam one day (my favourite city) when I chanced upon a foreign book shop, 'The American Bookstore' I think it was called. There in pride of place in the centre of the front window was not the latest work from Chomsky or Mailer or Roth, but a thick and lavishly illustrated coffee table book extolling one of the USA's greatest cultural gifts to us all: "McDonald's® Happy Meal Toys® Around The World".

The Headmaster
Posted on: 6 June 2006, 09:58am

Perhaps I was imbued with the spirit of the late Andy Warhol, perhaps I'd imbibed other spirits, but in any case I got the urge to regurgitate our McClown in a variety of attractive colourways.

See the miracle of screen printing on the left.